


A New Cycle

by Sins_of_the_Scruff



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: But there is character death, Character Death, M/M, Two Cottages AU, Witches oh my!, and the emotions dealing with that, angst with hopeful ending, it does have a hopeful end, please take heed, this is an emotional ficlet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-25 17:27:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30092565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sins_of_the_Scruff/pseuds/Sins_of_the_Scruff
Summary: "While there's life, there's hope." - Marcus Tullius Cicero
Relationships: Edgepuff - Freeform - Relationship, Papyrus/Papyrus (Undertale)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8





	A New Cycle

**Author's Note:**

> *** Update and Correction of who owns the AUs ^^;; ***This is a gift fic to @Rook and @constantlytiredreader on Twitter! Based on Constance's Two Cottages AU with Witch!Papyrus and Goth!Edge with Rook's surprise plant child, Florian! Further based on discussions with fellow creators in Discord, if you see something familiar, that's your tidbit that made it in! :D This is a story of cycles and that just because one cycle ends, doesn't mean everything stops. An angsty story, but one with a hopeful end. (Florian is mute in this story, only because I didn't feel like I could properly write them, but I hope I've done my best.)

It was a beautiful sunset, the beginnings of an end to the day. The sky was cast in a rainbow of colors as the blue sky blended with the fiery reds and oranges of the setting sun. The forest was quiet, save for the sounds of George the 6th gently chirping on his rock by the tiny pond just a stone’s throw away from two tiny cottages. Inside the two cottages that had become one, three skeletons congregated quietly in the garden room. This was the home of Papyrus and Edge, with their now fully grown child gifted from nature, Florian. Florian stood and tended to the different hanging plants, testing the dirt and clipping any dead leaves to ensure their proper growth. 

Papyrus sat in a chair next to a bed where Edge lay, resting quietly. His bones were grey with age, his breath shallow, but he still had a slight glimmer in his eye lights and that smile that few had the privilege to see. Papyrus was only a few years younger, but time was far kinder to a witch than it was to a normal skeleton monster. He held onto Edge’s hand and gently rubbed over his knuckles. He smiled as Edge weakly grasped it in return and opened his sockets. There wasn’t much time now. 

_ “Florian, it’s time.” _

Papyrus heard Florian stutter, nearly dropping the watering can. They quickly came over to the other side of the bed and sat down. Edge turned his head to stare warmly, _ “My little flower child, you’ve grown so much. You were the best little gift to have ever been given to us.”  _

Florian grasped Edge’s hand and looked on in concern. They knew this day would be coming. Normal monsters didn’t live eternally nor as long as witches did and Edge’s time in this mortal coil was nearly up. They had prepared Florian for this though. Papyrus and Edge had sat him down years before and explained that while Papyrus could live on for at least another century, when the time came for Edge to pass, so would Papyrus. Edge gave his life to Papyrus and in doing so, Papyrus became entwined with his forevermore. 

They had lived a long, loving life and much of it was raising Florian. Florian was their gift from the forest and as they grew, Edge and Papyrus realized they were not a normal child nor a normal witchling. At a certain age, Florian just stopped growing. Even as their parents aged, they stayed the same vibrant, young age. Some research over the years had the parents speculating that their flower child might have some Fae in their marrow and thus, would live on forever or for as long as they truly wished. Florian had long since gained an understanding at who and what they were and were their own person. They had learned so much from their parents and both sets of uncles along with the other witch, Stretch, and the fire mage, Slim.

Nearly a century’s worth of information and experiences colored Florian’s outlook on life, but Papyrus’ ever present optimism coupled with Edge’s thorny sense of logic and their own personality had turned Florian into an amazing child. Like their parents, they worked with plants and the forest along with helping the occasional passerby or townsfolk with a particular issue. The town knew that the witch, his husband, and their surprise child were a blessing in disguise and promptly made sure no harm nor foul came to them in return for their services. After the passing of their parents, Florian would have to go on and keep up with the forest and the townsfolk along with the new witch that would be summoned.

The cottages were centuries old already and a new witch would heed the call of the forest and come to take on the duties of the prior witch. Florian would be there to welcome and inform the newcomer of the previous inhabitants. They would deem whether the new witch was appropriate and if they would stay. Florian knew this was his purpose, but as Slim previously taught him all those years ago, emotions were hard to maintain when it felt like they were about to burst. Tears fell down their face and the vines on their cheekbones shined bright with magic. Edge shakily moved his hand up and brushed away the tears and rubbed the vines. 

_ “It’s not forever, Sunflower. We’re always right here, remember?” _ Edge let his hand fall to Florian’s chest and tapped lightly to where the gently beating soul lay. Papyrus grasped Florian’s other hand and squeezed reassuringly,  _ “You may not be able to see us, but we’ll live on in you and the plants around us. The cycle must end so it can begin anew.” _

Of course Florian understood, but it did very little to curb his sadness. He didn’t want to be alone. Edge gave a rattling cough, powdery dust shaking from his frail frame. Florian sat their papa up to aid in stopping the coughs and looked with fear at the pile of dust that lay under him. Papyrus kissed his knuckles as the coughing slowly subsided and lowered him back to the bed. His soul in his ribcage dimmed further as the sun dipped below the hills.  _ “Be good, Florian. We’ll see each other again soon. I love you so much”  _

Florian watched in horror as Edge’s sockets closed and the soul within extinguished like a candle flame. He looked at peace as he lay there smiling. Papyrus gently put Edge’s hand on his ribcage, _ “See you soon, my love.” _ Florian gave one last squeeze to his papa's hand before placing it on top of his other. A moment passed and Edge’s body slowly disappeared, dissolving into a fine dust. Papyrus gave a small, silent prayer and then gently gathered the bedsheets and pulled them together, gathering his husband’s ashes. 

The sun had fully gone down; Night had come. 

Florian soon went about their task, numbly preparing their Papa’s resting spot. Fitting that the very flower he gave up to help create them, Florian was now painstakingly gathering the soils and seeds for a rosebush to live again. A patch of sunflowers would soon join the rosebush. Papyrus had blessed the ashes and placed them in an urn. He could feel in his soul they would be together again, soon. He needed to be quick. He walked outside and felt the moon’s power wash over him one last time. He saw Florian tending to the resting pot, they were furiously crying, but still determined in their task. 

The ground was dug, the soil laid, the land blessed once, twice, thrice for good measure. Satisfied, they stood and nearly bumped into their father. In his hands he held the small urn and...Edge’s pointy and patched hat. Papyrus handed it over and Florian took it, feeling over the worn material. They could remember being barely to his papa’s knee in height and the hat engulfing him as he tended to the plants in the home. Of course Edge would leave this to them.

Placing the hat on their head, they looked to their father for support. Papyrus was crying as he tiled the hat a little.  _ “It suits you, Florian. But, I think you could use a bit of extra fashion.” _ Florian watched as he unwound the red scarf that he wore always and then wrapped around their own neck, beaming with a large grin.  _ “There, now you look like a proper witch!”  _ Florian could only offer a tearful smile.

Papyrus held his face and kissed his forehead,  _ “Join me for one last ritual, my child?” _

The moon was climbing high into the sky as Papyrus set out the blanket and crystals. Florian watched as their father disrobed and cast their hands to the sky, calling forth the Moon, its goddesses and the power they bestow upon him. The familiar dance Florian had come to know, love, and understand was easy to slip into. Their eyes shut and they danced alongside their father, asking the Moon for strength during this time. The crystals glowed under the moon’s light as Papyrus gave his last devotions and well wishes for him and his child.

As the dance ended, Florian stopped and stared at their father as they continued to twirl. They came up to Florian and grasped their hands, kissing them once more and then drawing a sigil of serenity over them, he pulled away and continued his dance. His bones began to shimmer and Florian watched as he began to disappear, his bones dissolving to the blanket beneath him.  _ “I love you, Florian. I will miss you so much, but stay strong. I...will...be...right...here... _

_ I’m coming, my love.” _

Between one twirl and the next, Papyrus was gone. His dust fell silently onto the blanket and for a moment Florian just stared before dropping to their knees and letting out a painful sob. They cried until no more tears would come and then stood, wiping their stricken face with father's scarf. They inhaled the familiar scent and for a moment was at peace. Quickly gathering their father’s ashes, they poured them into the urn with their papa. A light toss thoroughly mixed them together and now they could be laid to rest. Florian sprinkled the dust into the garden plot and gently mixed the dirt together before planting the seeds. Two flowers would bloom here always, sunflowers and roses, their father and papa’s favorite flowers. Given up to give them life, he would give them back now.

The seeds planted and the new ground watered sufficiently, Florian placed their hands on the mound and willed their magic forward, bright yellow magic sinking into the ground. The seeds took root within the dust and dirt and soon sprouts began to peek through, the first of many to come. Satisfied and quite exhausted, they stood and stared at the simple headstone. A rose intertwined with a sunflower with the inscription,  _ “Together as they were in life and the afterlife, may these wandering flowers never wilt.” _

The morning sun would come, just as the next sunset and rise of the moon. The pain in Florian’s soul would eventually ebb away like the cycles, but for now he let the sadness flow out freely. The comfort of the hat and scarf would keep them company until the flowers fully bloomed in a few days’ time. George the 6th chirruped nearby and Florian gave one last prayer, one last goodbye and then headed into the house. They stopped and looked back and for a fleeting moment he saw their papa and father dancing in the moonlight, only to disappear shortly. Florian smiled and tightened the scarf and fixed their hat. There was much work to be done at the sun's first light. 

* * *

**~3 Months Later~**

The sun was already high in the sky, engulfing the forest in warm and bright heat. Florian was out and tending to the gardens. The sunflowers were fully bloomed and the roses were bright with red color. They followed Florian as they worked to remove weeds around and cleaned the headstone of fallen leaves. This was surely enough work to reward with a quick break. They stood and gathered their tools and headed to the house for some tea. Edge’s cats intertwined themselves around their legs, begging for pets which Florian gave with enthusiasm. 

Pouring a small cup of tea and enjoying a cucumber sandwich, their peace was broken by the sound of knocking on the door. Florian was wary, humans didn’t usually make their way this far into the forest since the passing of their fathers, in respect for their grieving time. They opened the door and were momentarily shocked to see a tall, mismatched dressed skeleton staring down at them. They had their hands full and were struggling to fix their glasses. 

One of the boxes dropped and Florian was quick to summon a vine and keep it from crashing to the ground. There was a tinkling of glass objects, but thankfully no breakage. The skeleton breathed a sigh of relief.  _ “T-THANK YOU! I WOULD HAVE BEEN BETWEEN A ROCK AND A, WELL A HARD PLACE SHOULD MY CRYSTAL BALL HAVE SHATTERED. UM, I SUPPOSE YOU ARE THE FOREST GUARDIAN THEY’VE SPOKE ABOUT?” _

Florian nodded and quickly realized, this was a witch standing before him. The forest had summoned a new witch to come live and practice. Florian realized they were staring for too long and grabbed the box that almost fell as well as another to free up the skeleton’s grip. They fixed their glasses, their tiny sockets magnified beneath the lens.  _ “OH! I’M SO SORRY, I HAVE NOT YET INTRODUCED MYSELF. I’M PATCHES! UM, THE FOREST DID NOT TELL ME MUCH ABOUT YOU NOR THE FORMER WITCH AND THEIR MATE WHEN I WAS SUMMONED. THE HUMANS I RAN INTO IN THE VILLAGE SAY YOU ARE THEIR CHILD?” _

Florian nodded as they turned and invited them in. They had to stoop a little to fit through the doorway, but quickly adjusted inside. The cats looked at him curiously, before Doomfanger, Edge’s favorite cat, hopped off their perch and stomped up to the newcomer. Florian watched with amusement as they walked around Patches and seemed to be judging them. Patches realized this as well and stood still until Doomfanger gave a chrrp and meow, bumping his head into his leg and asking for pets. Patches knelt and scritched Doomfanger under the chin and pet down their spine. When Doomfanger began to purr, Florian knew that he had passed the Cat Test.

Florian sat down at the table where they were previously having a cup of tea and poured a cup for the new witch. They gestured to the open seat and Patches sat down. Very much bigger than the chair, Patches eventually sat on the ground. He took the small cup of tea and sipped carefully as he looked around the house.  _ “THIS HOUSE FEELS VERY ALIVE. SO MANY PLANTS, BUT SOMETHING ELSE...I CAN SENSE THE PREVIOUS INHABITANTS…”  _

His sockets closed as he concentrated, _ “MANY WITCHES HAVE COME AND GONE IN THIS HOUSEHOLD, THE RECENTLY DEPARTED THOUGH, YOUR PARENTS? A WITCH AND...NOT A WITCH? OH MY, WELL...THEY CERTAINLY COULD HAVE PASSED FOR ONE.” _

Florian smiled, definitely his father and papa. Patches grinned and Florian saw something familiar in it. Patches gradually opened his sockets,  _ “THEY ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU, LITTLE ONE. I SEE SUNFLOWERS AND ROSES?? THEY SEND THEIR LOVE.” _

Florian nodded and took what the witch had to say with truth. No one else would know the significance of the sunflowers and roses. Patches took off their glasses and dabbed at their sockets, _ “I’M DEEPLY SORRY, SOMETIMES THE EMOTIONS OF THE PREVIOUS INHABITANTS LINGER. UM, I SUPPOSE I SHOULD TELL YOU A LITTLE ABOUT MYSELF? I DO HAVE A BIT OF A BACKSTORY TO TELL.” _

Florian felt a small weight lift off their chest and cut a slice of sandwich to offer. A cycle was to begin again and they would see to it that it flourished just as the flowers did in the gardens. 

Outside, the sunflowers and the roses blew softly in the wind. A good sign of the new cycle to come.


End file.
